Spoiler: they’re still putting Aquaman in it and they expect people to pay money to see it. I have to be honest with you: I don’t think DC Comics can just recapture the magic of The Avengers with their own superhero team-up movie. I just don’t. Marvel had almost a decade to set up that movie with multiple solo films, dropping subtle teasers about their interconnectedness before drawing all of the plot threads together (under the very capable hands of Joss Whedon) and making a billion dollars. DC, on the other hand, is just a Goddamned mess. Green Lantern was a bomb, they couldn’t even get Wonder Woman her own TV show, and Batman basically quit at the end of his last movie. How the hell are they going to get all of their ducks in a row for 2015?
Cosmic Book News, who have been the source for multiple leaks from inside DC about these movie projects, has just dropped what they claim is inside information about the lineup of heroes in the movie and the roles they play. Here’s the gist:
• Superman is essentially the same character from Man of Steel, and Zack Snyder is consulting regarding the writing of the character.
• Batman: The strategist of the group. Batman doesn’t really want to be involved with these super powered beings he considers too powerful. Easily the most complex written.
• Wonder Woman: She has only been in man’s world a few short months. The Wonder Woman script Michael Goldenberg is developing will be set before the Justice League movie.
• Green Lantern: Will be Ryan Reynold’s character from the Green Lantern movie, but will be freshly written with a more serious tone.
• Flash: The most popular hero in civilian eyes who loves media attention, but when called upon is very serious.
• Martian Manhunter: Alien who has lived on Earth in secret for over a hundred years who has knowledge of Darkseid and his reign.
• Aquaman: Will be the King of Atlantis who has a key role in the film.
Oh boy! A key role for Aquaman! This kind of demonstrates the real gap between the Marvel universe and the DC universe. Marvel’s heroes are people, with backstories and personalities that make for good dialogue and drama. DC’s heroes are basically costumes, with personalities that, except for a few (Batman) are interchangeable. The idea that they can set up this many heroes in the space of one movie is ridiculous. What do you think? Can they pull it off?